Discount store to open at Hunts former Woolies

October 21, 2009

Updated: Tuesday, June 8, 2010 (10:48)

THE former Woolworths building in Huntingdon will be given a new lease of life next week when a national discount store opens, creating 30 new jobs. The High Street site will open as a 99p Store at 9am on Tuesday (October 27) offering shoppers 4,000 diffe

THE former Woolworths building in Huntingdon will be given a new lease of life next week when a national discount store opens, creating 30 new jobs.

The High Street site will open as a 99p Store at 9am on Tuesday (October 27) offering shoppers 4,000 different products, ranging from cosmetics and catering to gardening for 99p each.

The chain decided to open an outlet in Huntingdon following the success of its Wisbech branch, which opened in September.

Hussein Lalani, the firm's co-founder and commercial director said his store would be a good replacement for Woolworths, which went bust about 11 months ago.

"Woolworths started out as a six pence shop with everything at one price and we are the 21st century version of this," he said.

"We feel proud to take over the mantle and consider ourselves custodians of the Woolworths brand.

"When Woolworths was set up it connected with the British public and we believe we are now doing this."

The store was recruiting people for the newly created jobs at Huntingdon JobCentre this week while workmen were still transforming the building ahead of Tuesday's opening.

Katy Sismore, Huntingdon town centre manager, said having a new business move into the Woolworths building was great news for the town.

"I think it will be a good thing for Huntingdon because it will bring increased footfall in that part of town," she told The Hunts Post. "It will give people another reason to shop in Huntingdon.

"Having a large retail unit like that empty in lead up to Christmas would have been worrying, so it is great news that it has been filled."

The Huntingdon 99p Store will be the 112th set up in the UK since the chain was founded in 2001 in Holloway, North London. It now employs more than 3,000 people.

As part of the grand opening, the store is offering one lucky reader the chance to be win a VIP package that will include cutting the official opening ribbon, champagne and win a 99-second trolley dash at 8.45am on the store's opening day.

INFORMATION: To enter the competition send an e-mail, containing up to nine words on why you love a bargain, to: bargain@gbpublicityltd.com by midnight on Saturday (October 24).